We Had a Picnic!

As the following photos attest, we had a lot of fun at our annual church picnic. We threw ourselves into the sack race, a tug-of-war, and volleyball, and enjoyed good food under the sky. We can hardly wait till next year! A big Thank You to Nancy Carter for the great camerawork!

A Word from Our Session

As we have shared earlier, our Session is earnestly engaged in discernment about changes in the constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). We have devoted considerable time at each meeting this year to conversation, study, and growth. We are learning together about the recent history of the ordination standards in our denomination; current responses to these recent changes; options for our own congregation's implementation of ordination standards; and Biblical witness on human sexuality, ordination, and life in the Church. We are seeking to grow together in mutual respect and trust, to allow for the openness and honesty that such deep spiritual work requires.

As the Session's moderator, I want to share with you my appreciation for the diligence and faithfulness of each elder on our Session. Please continue to pray for our Session, our congregation, and our denomination. I believe that God has called us to this work of discernment, and I trust that the Church will grow in grace as we work together to discern the leading of God's Spirit in this and every matter of our life together.

Gordon Turnbull

Moderator of Session and Pastor/Head of Staff

FPC Is Hiring

Two Part-Time Support Positions Available

FPC has two part-time positions to fill as soon as we can find qualified candidates. We need a receptionist-secretary and a nursery aide.

Receptionist-Secretary

We are looking for a pleasant, capable person to take on the duties of receptionist-secretary in our front office. In addition to answering the phone and greeting and guiding visitors, the receptionist-secretary performs clerical tasks, prepares our weekly list of prayer concerns, and produces our worship bulletins. These duties require a working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel as well as basic Internet skills and an eye for detail. Beyond word processing and spreadsheet maintenance, some experience working with databases could help this person navigate our online membership records.

The hours for this position are 8:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., Monday through Friday. We invite anyone interested in applying for the job to send a cover letter and a résumé to the Personnel Committee, First Presbyterian Church, 701 Florida Ave., Bristol, TN 37620. The application deadline is May 15.

Nursery Aide

We need one more adult to help in our nursery on Sunday mornings, on Wednesday evenings during the program year, and for occasional events. We normally have no more than 15 children in the nursery, and we prefer to have four adults (two for each room) to care for them.

If you are interested in working with our children, please complete and return an application form, available in the church office.

Invitation to the Hite-McGaha Shower

Teresa Hite and Tammy Harris cordially invite all members of the congregation to a drop-in, general shower for Miles Hite and Morgan McGaha, to be held in the church parlor from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., Saturday, May 12.

Claim Your Lost Items by Monday

It is spring cleaning time, and we are clearing out the items that have collected in our Lost & Found Department. If you think something you've lost may be found in our collection, please come by the church office by Monday, May 14, and claim it. Unclaimed items will quietly disappear on May 15.

Russian Vocal Ensemble LYRA Returns

LYRA, the fabulous Russian vocal ensemble, returns to our Arts Series next Sunday,

One of LYRA's touring groups

May 20, at 3:00 p.m. Steve and Vicki Fey say that the upcoming performance in our sanctuary is "not to be missed." LYRA's selections for this concert range from Russian sacred music to Russian folk songs. The suggested ticket donation is $10 for adults and $5 for students ages 6 through college.

Ruthie Blair invites FPC's third- to fifth-graders to a sleepover at her house this Saturday, May 12.

Kids: Bring a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a flashlight.

Parents: Drop off your Wednesday Night Wild Ones at 229 Skyline Drive from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. Ruthie will bring them to early church the following morning. For more information, call Ruthie at 797-1815.

Ancient Babylon comes to First Presbyterian Church this summer when Vacation Bible School explores the theme "Babylon: Daniel's Courage in Captivity."

Place: Children's Wing, FPC

Dates: July 23-25

Times: 9:00 a.m. to Noon

Join us in Babylon, where we'll explore what life was like for Daniel and his friends, who were captives in a strange land. We'll craft cool projects in the marketplace, enjoy the games Daniel and his friends would have played, visit with Daniel, eat some interesting food, and make new friends. Come join us!

For more information, call Ann Abel at 423-764-7176.